TWO WIRRAWAYS COLLIDED
ABOUT 10 MILES NORTH WEST OF WAGGA WAGGA, NSW
ON 1 MARCH 1943

At 1410 hrs E.A.S.T. on 1 March 1943 Wirraway A20-440 collided with Wirraway A20-131 during a formation break up. The crew of A20-131 baled out when the aircraft could not be recovered from a spin. Unfortunately LAC Rayner's parachute opened too late and he was killed. Both aircraft were attached to 5 Service Flying Training School 5 SFTS.

A20-440 was landed by LAC Utting and it was subsequently found that W/O Averill had received fatal head injuries during the collision. 

Wirraway A20-131 was declared a probable write off. The extent of damage to A20-440 was not stated in the signal used to prepare the "Preliminary Report (External) of Flying Accident or Forced Landing".

CREW DETAILS

A20-131

F/O Ralph Russell O'Berg (411369) - Pilot

LAC Leslie William Rayner (426913) - killed

 

A20-440

W/O Kenneth Averill (406429) - Pilot - killed

LAC William Trevor Utting (426785)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I'd like to thank Daniel Leahy for his assistance with this web page.

Can anyone help me with more information on this crash?

This page first produced 20 September 2015

This page last updated 30 September 2015